"Alright." Sherry Yuan finally accepted the task.
Shang Xiaojin once said, in this world, only Sherry Yuan truly understands him.
But that's not quite right.
She and Cherry Miller are the ones who truly belong in the same world.
Both came from troubled backgrounds, carried heavy burdens, and were ultimately saved by Cecilia Gu. The Yin Family poured their heart and resources into nurturing them into talents.
That's why Sherry Yuan feels a strange sense of kinship with Cherry Miller.
Despite her difficult past, Cherry Miller managed to reach the peak of her life.
No one could surpass her.
Sherry Yuan truly admired her.
But she also knew she didn’t have Cherry Miller’s clever, calm, and wise mind. What she could offer was her martial skills.
So Sherry Yuan always listened to Cherry Miller.
Seeing Sherry Yuan accept the task, Cherry Miller couldn’t help but pat her on the shoulder.
Even though Sherry Yuan was much taller than Cherry Miller, she instinctively lowered her head so Cherry could reach her.
"Thirteen, don’t force yourself. I hope your future will be happy." Cherry Miller was so sharp—she immediately sensed Sherry Yuan’s subtle admiration for her.
Yeah, maybe 'admiration' isn’t the perfect word here.
But that’s exactly how Sherry Yuan felt about Cherry Miller.
Because Cherry Miller could stand in for Cecilia Gu.
Sherry Yuan was grateful to Cecilia Gu, and to Cherry Miller as well.
"No," Sherry Yuan shook her head slowly. "I don’t feel forced at all."
Cherry Miller smiled and nodded.
Now that Sam Shang had reached out, Sherry Yuan agreed without hesitation.
Sam Shang hadn’t expected Sherry Yuan to say yes so quickly—he was so excited, he nearly jumped for joy.
When they met up again, it was already close to four in the afternoon.
"Thirteen!" Sam Shang waved at Sherry Yuan.
"Yeah." Dressed in a crisp white shirt and jeans, Sherry Yuan strode over to Sam Shang, looking sharp and capable.
Sam Shang personally opened the car door for her, holding the roof, and only got into the driver's seat after she was settled.
"Where do you want to go?" Sam Shang asked, trying to keep his excitement in check.
"Anywhere's fine," Sherry Yuan replied.
"So, I get to decide today?"
"Sure."
Sam Shang drove straight toward the outskirts. As he drove, he said, "Downtown is lively, but way too noisy. Today, I’m taking you somewhere peaceful—I promise you’ll love it."
Sherry Yuan smiled.
Her favorite places were usually just the ones where she could eat well and stay warm.
That was pretty much all she wanted out of life.
When they arrived, Sam Shang got out first, looked around, and smiled. "We got here right on time."
Sherry Yuan got out too, and saw bonfires burning in the distance—lots of people were camping and cooking out here.
"This river dried up a few years ago, but after they cleared the channels and redirected the water, it came back to life," Sam Shang explained. "It's called Carp River. Legend has it a carp once jumped over the Dragon Gate here. These days, there are still carp, but forget about the Dragon Gate. After all, ever since the founding of the country, animals aren’t allowed to become spirits anymore."
If it were any other girl, she’d probably giggle at Sam Shang’s joke and find him charming.
But Sherry Yuan just glanced at Sam Shang. "Oh."
Sam Shang didn’t mind her cool response—he stayed enthusiastic. "I already had everything set up here, just waiting for you. Come on, I’ll grill for you."